Sophie Flufftail’s Brave Plan

Chapter Two Back to Friendship Forest

As the golden light surrounded them, Jess and Lily tingled all over as they magically shrank. Then the light faded and they were in Friendship Forest once more. A warm breeze drifted past, catching the lemon and chocolate scents of the flowers growing around them. It was so different from the rainy day in Brightley that it was easy to tell they were in a magical world!

“Welcome back,” said a soft voice.

They turned to see Goldie, but she didn’t look like an ordinary cat at all anymore. She was standing on her hind legs, with a glittering golden scarf wrapped around her shoulders. She smiled and the girls rushed over to hug her.

“It’s great to be back,” cried Jess.

“And to talk to you again,” said Lily.

“But why have you brought us here today, Goldie?” Jess asked her.

Goldie twitched her tail anxiously. “Come and see what’s happened in Sunshine Meadow.”

“Wait,” said Lily, tugging at her coat. “It’s so nice and warm here that we don’t need these!” They took off their raincoats and stowed them at the foot of the Friendship Tree.

As they set off with Goldie, they passed lots of gorgeous tiny cottages nestled among tree roots and up in the tree branches. It was a perfect little village—for all kinds of amazing animals!

A yummy baking smell wafted from the windows of a pretty cottage perched on a branch overhead. The door opened and a mouse in an apron scurried out. “Hello, Jess and Lily!” she cried.

“Hi, Mrs. Twinkletail!” the girls called.

Lily smiled at Jess. “I still can’t quite believe that we can talk to all the animals here! It’s wonderful!”

They hurried on to Toadstool Glade. Agatha Glitterwing the magpie was busy chatting to Mr. Silverback the badger, while a group of young animals played with a jump rope made of flowers. Outside the Toadstool Café, the Prickleback hedgehog family was sipping delicious-looking drinks. Everyone waved happily at Lily and Jess as they passed by.

Jess and Lily waved back, but there was no time to stop. Goldie was bounding ahead, her tail twitching anxiously.

“Poor Goldie seems really worried,” Jess whispered to Lily as they hurried after their friend. “Something really bad must have happened.”

When they reached Sunshine Meadow, both girls gasped in horror.

Huge patches of the red, yellow, and orange flowers that grew there were scorched and blackened.

“Oh, no!” Lily exclaimed. “Who would burn the beautiful flowers?”

Goldie’s whiskers drooped sadly. “It’s terrible, isn’t it?” she sniffed.

“Maybe it was the Boggits?” Jess wondered out loud.

The Boggits were hairy, smelly creatures who had been Grizelda’s helpers until Jess and Lily found them a new home in the stinky swamp.

“No, it’s not them.” Goldie shook her head. “They’re friendly now that they have their swampy home.”

“Don’t worry, Goldie,” Jess began. “We’ll—” She froze as a familiar orb of yellow-green light suddenly floated across the meadow toward them.

“It’s Grizelda!” cried Lily.

With a cra-ack, the orb burst into a shower of evil-smelling sparks, which cleared to reveal the witch in a black cloak, purple tunic, and pants. Her green hair swirled like angry snakes as she stamped her pointy-toed boot.

Goldie took a brave step toward her. “Stay away from Friendship Forest, Grizelda!” she cried.

The witch cackled. “Ha! It’s the cat and the meddlesome girls,” she spat. “But who cares? I’m going to make Friendship Forest so horrible that no one will want to live in it. Then I’ll have it all for myself!”

Lily and Jess stepped beside Goldie. “No, you won’t,” shouted Jess. “We won’t let you!”

Grizelda gave another horrible laugh. “You can’t stop me this time,” she said. “I have new helpers to carry out my plan—magical ones. They’re far better than Boggits!”

She clapped once and pointed into the sky, where four winged creatures were flying toward them.

Goldie’s green eyes were wide. “What are those?”

“They’re too big to be birds,” said Lily.

“They can’t be bats,” said Jess. “Not with those long tails.”

“But what else flies?” Goldie said. “I can’t think—”

They all gasped as one of the creatures let a stream of fire out of its mouth.

“Dragons!” both girls squealed together.